'We think we may have a problem here': City councillor predicts low voter turnout in 2018 municipal elections
Coun. George Affleck believes the province needs to step in to raise awareness about upcoming elections
Vancouver Coun. George Affleck is preparing a motion that will ask the provincial government to do more to get the word out about the upcoming, provincewide municipal elections next month.
Affleck believes a number of changes around this year's election cycle will lead to lower voter turnout numbers.
"As a councillor, I'm asking my fellow councillors to task the mayor to go to the premier and say 'we think we may have a problem here'," said Affleck to On The Coast host Gloria Macarenko.
- Read more | B.C. municipal elections 2018
The two-term councillor points to the fact this year's municipal elections will be held in October, a month earlier than usual, as one of the reasons for the lack of public awareness.
Affleck also notes this is the first year the election cycle is operating under new financial reform legislation, which bans corporate and union donations.
"The money is just not there because of finance reform, which is a good thing, [but] that's going to have an impact on people knowing there are elections happening," said Affleck.
"To me, this is such an important part of democracy."
He says that during the 2014 Vancouver elections, the two major political parties spent millions of dollars to promote their campaigns.
'A politician's job is to inspire'
Although Affleck attributes the lower public awareness to advertising capital and the new dates, he says candidates also have a role to play in engaging the public.
"A politician's job is to inspire people and get them excited to vote for you ... that you are a person that is going to make a difference in [their] community," said Affleck.
Affleck would also like the see the government add tax write-offs for political donations, which are capped at $1,200 per person, to the new legislation. He says it's an incentive for people to donate money to candidates, one that's allowed in provincial and federal elections.
You can listen to the full interview below;